. >> he moved into what's called a favella.>> what do your parents think? >> [ bleep ] it's totally left field. but it is what it is. >> have your parents come to your home? >> my mom came here and visited me. we went into a pharmacy on the corner and the [ bleep ] pharmacy got held up literally with my mom in it. you've got to be kidding me. >> reporter: but cutler adored the people who lived in rio and he also adored their distinctive art form, funk music. don't be confuseded here, brazilian funk bares zero resemblance to the american version. ♪ >> reporter: it is a genre born and bred in these lawless flavellas. >> think of that jumbo drum as what's going on in the chest of everyone walking through this urban jungle. >> reporter: much of it glorifies violence and drugs. some of the songs are even banned by the government here. funk shows were originally hosted by the gangs themselves as an excuse to party and to sell drugs. and they have been known to turn very violent. >> when there was, you know, hard core drug trafficking